The Best $4 Mascara You'll Ever Buy and Other Cheap Thrills

Find out which products our editors drop major cash for, and where we skimp and save

Frances, Editorial Intern Blowout Buy: Benefit's The POREfessional Pore Primer, $30
"I don't leave the house without putting primer on. I'm especially obsessed with Benefit's POREfessional because it's more than just a primer. I have serious battle scars from my teen acne year, but a thin layer of POREfessional makes those scars disappear. It somehow manages to fill in every little dent on my face (even laser surgery hasn't done this for me) and it cuts my makeup application time in half. A tiny tube of this stuff costs more than $30, but I will never go without it. It has changed my life."

Cheap Thrill: Salon Grafix Spray Powder Shampoo for Brunette Shades, $7.99
"I'm an extremely lazy person and on most mornings I would rather forgo washing my hair for a few precious extra minutes of sleep. It doesn't help that I have a ton of hair and styling takes forever. I love being able to hide how dirty my hair is, but dry shampoo is not something I'm willing to spend a lot of money on. I made that mistake once when I bought Keratin Complex Volumizing Dry Shampoo Lift Powder, $35. It came in a tiny tube with a brush applicator and most of it ended up all over my bathroom counter. Salon Grafix sprays on so I never have to worry about it spilling everywhere, and unlike some spray powders, it doesn't get clogged. I vow to never spend more than $10 on dry shampoo. Plus, let's not forget the original dry shampoo: baby powder. (You can get a year's supply for less than $4.)"